But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed?
41. And Moses said, Wherefore do ye now transgress? He rejects this feigned penitence, whereby the sinner tries all sorts of shifts, “En laquelle les pecheurs tournent a l’entour du pot;” whereby sinners twist round the pot. — Fr. so as not to submit himself to God.
Here is, I. The sudden death of the ten evil spies. While the sentence was passing upon the people, before it was published, they died of the plague before the Lord, Num 14:36, Num 14:37. Now, 1. God hereby showed his particular displeasure against those who sinned and made Israel to sin. (1.) They sinned themselves, in bringing up a slander upon the land of promise.
Commenting on Numbers 14:36-45
Go not up, for the Lord is not among you,.... And therefore could not expect success, for victory is of the Lord; the Targum of Jonathan adds,"the ark, and the tabernacle, and the cloud of glory move not,''which were a plain indication that the Lord would not go with them, and therefore could not hope to prevail over their enemies and enter the land, but...